Apparatus for washing, disinfecting, and drying.



PATBNTED APR. 12, 1904.

L. E. BARBE. r APPARATUS FOR WASHING, DISINFEGTING, AND DRYING.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 16, 1903.

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No. 757,011. PATENTED APR. 12, 1904. L. E. BARBE- APPARATUS FOR WASHING, DISINFECTING, AND DRYING. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1903.

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Patented April 12, 1904.

PATENT Trice.

- LOUIS ETIENNE BARBE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR WASHINGs DISINFECTING, AND DRYING- SPECIIEIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 757,011, dated April 12, 1904. Application filed June 16, 1908. Serial No. 161,758. (No model.)

industrial, a citizen of the French Republic,

residing at Paris, in the Republic of France, (whose full postal address is 18 Rue Mogador, Paris, aforesaich) have invented certain new and useful Improved Apparatus for Washing, Disinfecting, and Drying, (for which I have applied in France April 7, 1903, an addition at the Patent No. 311,992, June 6, 1901,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object an apparatus for washing, disinfecting, and drying based on the principle of recuperation and having for its object the application of this principle to washing and disinfecting machines.-

This apparatus is characterized by the com bination with a perfectly-tight double external casing of a movable internal barrel 'concentric to said casing and having a pipe parallel to its axis, which introduces hot gas which then escapes into the interior of the apparatus, the movement of said movable barrel be ing imparted to it by means of an improved operating apparatus causing a rapid rotation intended to produce the drying of the articles treated, to succeed or to follow after the oscillatory movement which the barrel must have during the washing period, said transformation of movement being insured by means of the improved arrangement hereinafter described, so as to avoid any possibility of accident if a wrong movement be made at the moment of this transformation.

To allow of the invention being better understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which, as an ex ample, Figure 1 is a view in partial longitudinal sectional elevation of the apparatus forming the object of my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional elevation of the same apparatus made on the line m y z of Fig. 1.

The apparatus comprises a double fixed external casing a, allowing of the circulation of steam for heating and arranged in such a way as to have only a single joint Z, so as to easily insure its tightness, thus dispensing with any danger of the introduction of steam into the interior of the apparatus. This heating-steam arrives by an inlet-tap r, feeding two branch pipes 2 and 3, corresponding with the two parts of the double casing a. This casing also has a discharge tap s, with which are connected two pipes t and 5, corresponding to the feed-pipes 2 and 3, hereinbefore indicated.

On the side of the fixed casing a a door is arranged, serving for the insertion and withdrawal of articles to be treated. This door is kept solidly closed in a tight manner by means of pressure-screws 6, and it may when opened be folded back vertically when the screws 6 are unfastened and pins 7 supporting it withdrawn.

In the interior of the casing a is a movable barrel g, formed of a sheet of perforated steel strengthened by steel bars 10, parallel to the axis, and laths 11, also of steel. This movable barrel also has adoor 8, which may be maintained tightly closed by means of a bar having bolts penetrating into lugs 9 and which may when once released from the bolts of this bar be folded down without obstacle into the aperture exposed by the folding down of the door 71:, Fig. 2.

A movable drum 9 is mounted on trunnions e, which are perfectly tight and one of which (the left-hand one in Fig. 1) is arranged so as to allow of the introduction of hot gas into the interior of the apparatus. For this object this 14, which extends parallel to the axis of the barrel and which forms the flange or projection of a raising-palette 16, constituted by a sheet of perforated steel fixed partly on the barrel g and partly on the tube 14.

The external. casing a has also a tap 17 for discharging the vapor of the solvent employed in the apparatus, which vapor passes by a pipe 1' into a suitable condenser after having previously traversed a filter 18, effecting a first purification of such vapor. There are further grouped on a metal casting 19, arranged on the casing, first, a tap 20 for introducing the solvent into the apparatus; second, a tap 21, operating the direct suction by means of a vacuum-pump; third, a tap 22 for readmitting air to the apparatus at the end of the operation; fourth, a safety-valve 23, communicating with the roof of the workshop by a pipe 24and only opening in case an unskilful workman should accidentally heat the volatile solvent introduced without having placed the apparatus in communication with the condensingworm. Finally, the external casing to is pro vided with thermometers 26 and 27, incased in absolutely-tight copper tubes, an overflow tap 44, the height of which corresponds to a level-indicator n, a manometer t, and a sludge or discharge-tap 1, enabling the solvent which.

remains liquid after the operation to be immediately recovered.

The movable drum 9 is actuated by means of a transmission arrangement supported by the frame of the external casing a, com prising a main shaft 28, provided with fixed and loose pulleys 29, and a toothed wheel 30. The toothed wheel 30 gears with a wheel 31, keyed on a shaft 32, which also carries a crank-plate or eccentric 33,.operating a rod 34. This rod is connected with a toothed sector 35, which is capable of freely oscillating on a shaft 36 and which gears with a wheel 37, keyed on a shaft 39, operating the movable barrel. The wheel 37 may be displaced along the shaft 39 by means of a grooved sleeve 38, operated by a fork for throwing into engagement, which is not shown in the drawings. A pulley 40 is also arranged on the same main shaft as the actuating-pulleys 29, said pulley 40 being arranged so as to be only able to communicate its movement to the shaft 39 when the wheel 37 is no longer in engagement with the sector -that is to say, when the said wheel is loose on the shaft 39' and in order that it may communicate its movement to the latter the wheel 37 in contact with the sector, which is, on the contrary, keyed on said shaft, must connect with the pulley by means of a suitable coupling.

The free end of the main shaft 39 rests on a trunnion 41, which carries a fly-wheel 42, keyed on the main shaft 39, and which may be rendered stationary by a pin 43, fixed in the support of this shaft.

Under these conditions of arrangement the apparatus will work in the following manner: The door 8 of the barrel g is brought opposite the door is of the casing a by turning the flywheel 42, and the barrel g may be fixed in a suitable position by means of the pin 43 in the fly-wheel. The two doors l: and 8 are then opened, as shown in Fig. 2, and when the garments or the like are inserted the doors are turned up again and fixed by means of the arrangements hereinbefore enumerated. Vacuum is then produced in the apparatus by opening the tap 21, which places it in communication with a suitable vacuum-pump,

and then the said tap 21 is again closed. The tap 20 is then opened, by which the solvent in a liquid condition arrives, and it is allowed to fill the apparatus until its level (indicated by the indicator 9;) has reached the desired height. hen this height is reached, carbonic acid is introduced to the interior of the apparatus by placing it in communication by a tap 45 with a reservoir containing this gas, and the supply of carbonic acid is stopped when the manometer 6 indicates a pressure equal to atmospheric pressure. The wheel 37 and its sector 35 are then geared up and the transmission of the pulleys 29 is then engaged. The barrel Q then receives an oscillating motion on its axis 39 6. 0., the main shaft which motion effects the cleaning of the articles to be treated. During this movement the tap 17, which enables the interior of the apparatus to communicate with a suitable condenser, is opened, if necessary, so that the cleaning by heat can be effected without danger, as the vapor of the solvent cannot create a dangerous excess of pressure in the interior of the apparatus by reason of the latter being connected with the refrigerator. In order to effect this heating, it is sufficient to open the tap r, by which steam penetrates into the double casing and circulates therein. Asafety-valve 23 provides against any possibility of accidents which might result from a clumsy workman heating the casing a without having opened the tap l7, and the presence of a neutral atmosphere in the interior of the apparatus avoids any danger of explosion being caused from a heating of the axles or'an electric spark produced in consequence of friction between the heated silk articles. When the cleaning by means of heat and cold is terminated, the pulley 29, actuating the rod to the sector, is ungeared and the tap 1 opened, by which the liquid benzin runs away and is collected in a suitable reservoir. The pulley 40 for the rotary motion is then brought into action and commences to revolve rapidly, moving the Wheel 37 in gear with the sector along the shaft to the left, whereby the barrel is rendered independent of the sector 35 and firmly connected with this pulley 40, which communicates to it a rapid rotary motion necessary for the drying. hen this drying is completed, the tap 1, drawing off the benzin, is closed and the pulley 40 thrown out of gear and a current of hot carbonic acid introduced by means of the pipe h, which acid spreads in the apparatus and over the articles treated, escaping by the apertures of the pipe 14. The tap 21 in connection with the vacuum is simultaneously opened and the vacuumpump set in action, which insures a continuous circulation of hot carbonic acid, yielding a complete recovery of the solvent remaining in the articles treated. When this recovery is terminated, the supply of hot carbonic acid is shut off and the action of the vacuum-pump continued until it has completely removed the carbonic acid contained in the apparatus.

When this recovery is completely finished, the tap 21 in connection with the vacuum is closed and another tap 22 opened to allow air to reenter the interior of the apparatus, and then the doors 8 and Z0 of the casing and the barrel are brought opposite one another, as was done at the commencement of the operation, and then the articles treated are removed.

The foregoing description shows that the apparatus in question allows of dry-cleaning being effected under conditions absolutely indispensable for obtaining simultaneously a perfect cleaning with the minimum cost of labor and acomplete recovery of the solvent, while at the same time avoiding all danger of fire.

There is, in fact, obtained, first, a vacuum at the commencement of the operation which eliminates the oxygen and prepares the garments or the like very well for the action of the solvent; second, the working is carried out in an inert atmosphere with a continuous agitation of the garments or the like and a final drying of the same; third, the solvent remaining in the garments is eliminated and any odor of benzin removed from them; fourth, vacuum is able to be obtained at the end of the operation, by means of which vacuum all carbonic acid remaining in the apparatus is recovered before the doors are opened.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. An apparatus for washing, disinfecting and drying comprising an external fixed casing in two parts each having a steam-space, and containing a movable barrel, a steam-supply arranged on the top of the said casing and feeding two branch pipes leading to the two steam-spaces, and a corresponding dischargetap arrangedat the bottom ofthe said casing and communicating with two pipes, said two pipes connecting with the two steam-spaces, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for washing, disinfecting and drying, comprising an external casing adapted to be heated and containing a movable barrel, the arrangement on said casing of a tap connecting the apparatus with a vacuumpump, a tap for the introduction of the solvent, a tap for the readmission of air into the apparatus, a pipe provided with a tap placing the apparatus in communication through a filter with' a suitable condenser, a level-indicator and a corresponding overflow and a manometer substantially as described.

3. An apparatus for Washing, disinfecting and drying comprising a double casing adapted to be heated by steam and asystem of pipes and taps enabling vacuum to be produced in the apparatus, solvent introduced therein and to be placed in communication with an apparatus for condensing the vapor of the solvent, the arrangement of a movable barrel provided with a pipe for the introduction of carbonicacid gas to its interior, a tap governing the introduction of the gas and a perforated tap insuring its distribution and revolving with the drum and a raising-palette substantially as described.

4. An apparatus for washing, disinfecting and drying a casing adapted to be heated by steam, a movable barrel therein, a shaft 39 on which the barrel is mounted and means for driving the barrel comprising a toothed sector 35, a pulley and a toothed wheel 37 splined to the said shaft to be shifted longitudinally thereof said toothed wheel cooperating with the toothed sector when engaging the same and coacti ng with the pulley L0 when shifted out of engagement with the sector substantially as described.

5. An apparatus for washing, disinfecting and drying adapted to be heated at its periphery by a circulation of steam and in its interior by a supply of inert hot gas penetrating by a perforated pipe mounted in the movable barrel the arrangement on the shaft of this barrel of a fly-wheel enabling a door of said barrel to be brought opposite the door of the casing and of fixing the barrel in this position by means of a spindlel43) the whole substantially as hereinbefore described and shown as an example in the accompanying drawings.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS ETIENNE BARBE.

Witnesses:

JACQUES MARTEL, EDMOND Cumulus RAOUL Gossnnn Similar. 

